A NEW law will take effect on May 1, that any dog or cat sold, given away or registered on the Fraser Coast must be desexed - making it the first region in Queensland to have compulsory neutering.

The RSPCA says the ruling is a "massive win".

The new laws will mean all cats and dogs must be desexed before 22 weeks of age unless they are already registered before May 1, more than eight years old, are a working or show dog, or belong to a certified breeder.

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty said no other Queensland council had enforced such strict desexing laws.

"We hope every other council in Queensland follows this example," Mr Beatty said.

"We've been lobbying for this for longer than I can remember, it's an excellent step."

The Fraser Coast Regional Council has announced its plans for mandatory desexing in the hopes of reducing the amount of unwanted animals in the region.

Last year 937 dogs and 476 cats were impounded on the Fraser Coast.

Of those, 554 were reunited with their owners; 532 were rehomed, 112 dogs and 215 cats were euthanised.

Hervey Bay Animal Refuge volunteer Cecilia Appelkamp said the new law would add to the desexing incentives already put in place by vets, pet stores and refuge centres.

"We offer vouchers to people for desexing animals and we raise money to pay for it ourselves if we can," Cecilia said.

"The animals leave desexed but most cats and dogs aren't desexed when they come in, so hopefully the new law will make a long-term difference."

Fraser Coast community health portfolio councillor Robert Garland said the new laws would make it easier to control the amount of animals being born.

"If someone wants to become a breeder, all they have to do is apply through council and pay $100 and off they go," Cr Garland said.

"That way we can keep tabs on them and make sure they're doing the right thing."

Desexing laws

Desex your unregistered cat or dog by the end of April and the council will register it for free until the end of August.